Feb. 10, 2006

Stats

Pittsburgh, Pa. - In the most wild finish to a Wayne State University men's hockey game since Jan. 11, 2003, the Warriors rallied from a three-goal deficit on three occasions (3-0, 5-2, 6-3) to earn a hard-fought 7-7 overtime draw at Robert Morris University Friday night.

WSU junior left wing Jason Bloomingburg (Canton, Mich./Texas Tornado) pushed the puck across the goal line with 0.1 seconds remaining in regulation to complete the Warrior comeback.

On Jan. 11, 2003 (1,125 days ago), Wayne State's Tyler Kindle scored a short-handed extra attacked goal with 1.9 seconds left in regulation to tie the game against American International College and then Nathan Rosychuk scored with 16 seconds left in overtime for the victory at the Taylor (Mich.) SportsPlex.

The host Colonials outshot WSU 12-11 in the opening period and held a 3-0 lead on goals by Kurt Wright (5:17), Joel Gasper (14:05) and Andrew Bonello (16:33).

Wayne State pulled within a goal at 3-2, as sophomore forward Derek Bachynski (Belle River, Ont./Leamington Flyers) scored a power-play goal at the 6:56 mark and sophomore forward Adam Krug (Livonia, Mich./Sioux City Musketeers) recorded his third career short-handed goal at the 9:02 mark.

Bachynski's first career man-advantage marker, and his fifth of the season, was assisted by junior blueliner Taylor Donohoe (Richmond, B.C./Powell River Kings) and Adam Krug.

Krug's third goal of the campaign was assisted by Bachynski.

However, Robert Morris would regain a two-goal advantage just nine seconds later on a power-play goal by Chris Margott.

RMU pushed its lead to three as Brett Hopfe scored a power-play goal with 8:56 remaining in the middle frame.

Wayne State would score four of the next five goals over the next 17 minutes to tie the game at six.

Junior left wing Jason Baclig (Leamington, Ont./Leamington Flyers) scored an even-strength marker at 12:55 of the second period from Adam Krug and Adam Drescher (Belleville, Mich./Wexford Raiders). It was Drescher's first point since an assist at Bowling Green on Nov. 20, 2004.

Thirty-two seconds after Baclig's lamp-lighter, RMU's Jason Towsley scored a five-on-five goal giving the Colonials a 6-3 lead.

Forty-seven seconds after Robert Morris' Jace Buzek was assessed an interference penalty, junior right Mark Nebus (South Lyon, Mich./Texas Tornado) scored a power-play goal at the 15:44 mark to pull the Warriors within two again at 6-4. Nebus' fifth of the year was assisted by Drescher and senior forward John May (Livonia, Mich./Springfield Junior Blues).

The following 13 minutes were scoreless until Wayne State would score twice in a span of 35 seconds to tie the game at six. Sophomore center Stavros Paskaris (Dearborn, Mich./Kewadin Indians) tallied his sixth of the season at 9:02 off assists from freshman Jon Grabarek (Sterling Hts., Mich./Cedar Rapids RoughRiders) and senior defenseman Steve Kovalchik (Riverview, Mich./Omaha Lancers).

At the 9:37 mark, junior blueliner Dan Iliakis (Scarborough, Ont./Georgetown Raiders) netted his first goal since Dec. 2 at Air Force off an assist by Adam Krug.

Robert Morris regained the lead as Logan Bittle scored a power-play goal with 6:37 left in regulation setting up Bloomingburg's heroics. Bloomingburg's ninth was assisted by Paskaris and Adam Krug.

Adam Krug tied the Wayne State record for assists in a game (four) set by Jason Durbin on Nov. 26, 1999, in a 5-4 Warrior loss to Mercyhurst in the Findlay (Ohio) Classic during WSU's inaugural season.

Krug also set the WSU record for points in game (5). Nine times a Wayne State played had four points in a game (most recently Marc St. Jean on March 15, 2003, vs. Niagara in a 6-4 CHA semifnal win for WSU).

WSU senior goaltender Matt Kelly (Hull, Mass./Topeka Scarecrows) allowed six goals on 21 shots in the first 33:27 before being lifted for junior netminder Will Hooper (Woodbridge, Ont./Wexford Raiders). Hooper made 13 saves on 14 shots to earn the tie. Robert Morris goalie Christian Boucher was credited with 30 saves including four in overtime.

Wayne State scored two power-play goals in six chances, while RMU had three man-advantage markers in six opportunities.

Wayne State (5-16-6 overall, 2-6-5 CHA) remains a point behind Robert Morris (8-15-3 overall, 4-7-2 CHA) in the College Hockey America standings heading into Saturday's regular-season series finale between the two squads. Opening face-off is slated for 7:35 p.m. at RMU's Island Sports Center. Warrior fans can listen to the game via Teamline as Greg Franke and former WSU captain Keith Stanich call the action.

Notes:

The seven goals scored by WSU is the most since a 9-3 Warrior win at Bowling Green on Nov. 20, 2004.

Junior defenseman Adam Drescher had two assists in the contest after recording one assist/point in his first 36 collegiate games. Ironically his lone assist was in the aforementioned game at Bowling Green.

The 14 goals is the most in any Wayne State overtime game in school history (there have been two 6-5 WSU overtime wins).

Four of the seven meetings between WSU and RMU have been overtime affairs with the Warriors holding a 3-1-3 lead in the all-time series, but the Colonials have a 1-0-3 advantage in extra session contests.

The eight overtime games (1-1-6) in a season is the second-most in school history. Wayne State played 11 overtime affairs during the 2000-01 campaign.

The six ties in a season is a school record (WSU had four overtime contests in both 2001-02 and 2004-05).

Wayne State's last four Friday night league games have all ended in a tie (3-3 at Bemidji State on Jan. 13, 2-2 vs. Robert Morris on Jan. 20, 2-2 vs. Alabama-Huntsville on Jan. 27 and tonight).